Donor conference in Paris raises EUR303 million for restoration of the New Safe Confinement at Chornobyl NPP after Russian drone strike – EBRD

"At a high-level donor conference organized on November 9 in Paris by the governments of France, Ukraine, and the EBRD, 14 countries and international organizations committed to contributing a total of EUR303 million to the International Chernobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA), which is managed by the EBRD, to support restoration work. Further funding commitments are expected in the coming months," the bank said in a release on Tuesday.

The NSC, whose construction was completed in 2019 after nearly two decades of international partnership, was financed through the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, within which a broad coalition of donors raised EUR1.61 billion. On February 14, 2025, a Russian drone struck the NSC, damaging about 200 sq. m of panels and punching a hole of approximately 15 sq. m in the cladding. A detailed assessment of the damage carried out under the ICCA confirmed significant destruction. According to First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, at least EUR500 million will be needed to repair the damage and fully restore the confinement's functionality.

The bank recalled that the issue of restoring the NSC became one of the main priorities for French President Emmanuel Macron, as France holds the G7 presidency this year. In June, the G7 leaders and their key partners agreed on financing, fully securing, and protecting the facilities at the Chernobyl NPP, and in October it was announced that the G7 countries would allocate EUR260 million for urgent repairs to the NSC.

The conference in Paris was attended – in person or online – by representatives of 34 countries and international organizations. Significant contributions were announced by the European Union, Canada, Germany, France, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Lithuania, Austria, Estonia, and others. New participants also joined the donor circle – from outside the G7 and the European Union – expanding the coalition that at one time made the creation of the NSC possible. Greece, Moldova, and the Netherlands said they would announce their contributions in the coming months, the EBRD noted.

The bank emphasized that the NSC is a key protective structure that guarantees nuclear safety at the Chernobyl NPP: it isolates the radioactive remnants of Unit 4 and enables the safe dismantling of the original sarcophagus and the destroyed reactor. The drone strike disrupted both of these key functions. The commitments made in Paris are aimed at moving from temporary repairs and priority engineering measures to restoring the core functions of the New Safe Confinement (NSC). This must be done before damage to the outer shell leads to corrosion affecting the steel structures in the long term, the bank explained.

"These commitments demonstrate that nuclear safety is a shared responsibility, and Europe and its partners stand firmly shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine. I am proud that we are demonstrating international solidarity on this issue, and I hope that by spring 2027 we will raise the necessary amount," commented French Economy Minister Roland Lescure, who led this initiative within the G7 financial track, on the conference results.

"We plan to complete all engineering work and fully restore the confinement's functionality by 2030," said Ukrainian Energy Minister Shmyhal, thanking all countries already involved in the restoration project and calling on other partners to join it.

He also emphasized that Russia must pay the final bill for the attack on the Chernobyl NPP, so Ukraine will work with partners to cover the restoration costs at the expense of Russian assets.

The EBRD clarified that the contributions committed in Paris supplement the funds already available under the ICCA intended to support restoration work and ensure nuclear safety at the site. The ICCA fund will remain open for additional contributions during the first half of 2027.

Work on the NSC is already underway: temporary repair measures are being carried out, and initial engineering work and procurement (worth up to EUR30 million), approved by donors in March 2026, will allow for a significantly more accurate cost estimate by the end of 2027. The start of major restoration work is planned for early 2028, with completion by the end of 2030. The full cost of restoring the NSC's key functions cannot currently be determined, the bank's release said.